. . . for Lauren and Lauren: crafts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts

January 15, 2012

My first tutorial - Bow Bag

Last weekend I made this bow pillow.  I followed a great tutorial online.  I really wanted to make a little make up bag with a bow on it, just like the pillow.  I changed a lot of the sizes to the bow, but used the same directions.  I made a few of them and thought I'd try giving my first sewing tutorial! 


 

Here are the materials you will need:
Choose two color fabrics.  I picked red for my outer pieces and brown for the inside.
Medium weight interfacing
7 inch zipper
Thread and sewing machine

Cut your fabric:
Outer fabric:
2 pieces 8 in. x 5 in.
4 pieces 11 in. x 3 in.
2 pieces 4 in. x 2 in.
2 pieces 3 in. x 2 in.

Inner fabric:
2 pieces 8 in. x 5 in.

Interfacing:
2 pieces 8 in. x 5 in.



 Make your bow: 
Take two of the 11 in. x 3 in. pieces and the 2 x 4 pieces.  You will do the same thing to both of them.  Sew around all 4 edges, leaving about an inch open.
(Because my fabric is a solid color it doesn't matter what why the fabric is facing.  If you use a printed fabric for your outer pieces, you need to make sure to be facing the outside of the fabrics facing each other when sewing the bow pieces.)




 

Turn your pieces inside out through the holes that you left open.

(If you used a printed fabric, the print side should now be facing out.) 

Iron the pieces flat.


Now take your other two 11 in. x 3 in. pieces.

Sew only the long sides together.


Then turn this piece inside out (or outside in - whatever you want to call it!  Either way the the fabric side that you want to see should now be facing out.)

Press flat with iron.
You should now have all three pieces to make your bow: 
 



Take your two pieces that were sewn on all edges and fold them in half.  Sew down one side of both of them.



Flip these pieces around, so that the sewn part in now on the inside.  You now have two loops.









Slide your big loop through your little loop to make your bow.

Now take that other long strip and slide it through the back of your bow.  Pull it through so your bow is in the middle.  

 


Here's the front view of your bow.




Make your bag
Put your bow on one of the red 8 in. x 5 in. pieces.
Pin it in place and just sew the edges.
Cut off any extra length hanging over.
Get your inner pieces ready.  
Iron on the interfacing to the back side of both pieces. (Read the directions on the interfacing.) 


Get your zipper ready.  Use your two 3 in. by 2 in. pieces.  Fold two of the edges in and press down with iron.  It should look like this: 

 Fold it in half again and sew this to both ends of your zipper.  This way there won't be any holes in your bag. After you sew the little pieces on, cut off the extra on both sides.  It should look like this:



Now stack your pieces so you can start sewing your bag together.
Put your outer piece down first. (face up if not solid)
Then your zipper, face down.
Then put your inner piece, face down.



I've messed this part up before, and put my pieces facing the wrong way.  
After you pin it some of it together, just check to make sure when you flip it, your pieces with both be facing outward.  

Sew your zipper to your fabric.




Flip it around so you have one side of your zipper sewn.




Now sew the other side of your zipper.

Stack your pieces like this:

Other piece of inner fabric facing up.
Zipper piece with inner fabric side facing down.



Finally put your bow piece, facing down.

Sew all the way on the left side to sew the other side of the zipper.

Now you should be able to see how your bag will go together.  You will be sewing all the way around on the inner fabric.  Straighten your pieces so there are no bunches in your bag.  Pin all the way around. 

Make sure to unzip your zipper half way.  If you don't you will not be able to turn in right side out.  I forgot to do this once and had to take out some of the stitching to fix it!


Sew around all three edges.  Cut off any extra fabric or thread and flip your bag right side out through your zipper hole.

You are finished!!



I hope I gave clear directions! Let me know if you have any questions.

Don't want to make one yourself?
I've added some of them to my etsy shop: K.Jane




January 2, 2012

Monkeys

I keep wanting to share some of the Christmas gifts I made this year.  One of my favorite newer projects are my sock monkeys.  I made one for my niece and nephew and then sold a lot of them to friends.  They turned out super cute and I didn't realize how popular sock monkeys are!  Here some pics of the ones I've made: 







I finally got time to add a sock monkey to my etsy shop! Check it out here!

Here are some of the other gifts I made this Christmas: 

A hobby horse for my nephew: 


pillows for my niece & nephew: 



the necklace my sister is wearing
here's a similar one in my shop.  

I loved being able to make a lot of my presents this year!  My new sewing machine is certainly getting a lot of use already!





Photobucket

November 30, 2011

Christmas Season

I love this time of year! Thanks to pinterest and crafty blogs, this year more than ever I was excited to decorate for Christmas. Here are a some things around my house:



These were wine bottles that I spray painted, and then used Epsom salt to cover them. Here's the tutorial: Wine bottles

I made this paper flower wreath (putting old college text books to good use!) last summer but added the two red felt flowers for Christmas. I spent WAY too many hours making this wreath so I'm going to find a way to make it fit each season!



Another pinterest find: candles


I just wish there was more time for all the decorations to be up - It is too short!
Merry Christmas and happy decorating!


November 20, 2011

Reformed Scrooge


I used to be a total Christmas scrooge when it came to celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving and even the week or so after. Now I can't wait to listen to Christmas music in the car and start decorating my house. Last week I put up my first Christmas decoration and plan on finishing them this week. I found this idea on Pinterest, of course. I hot glued pine cones to ribbon and then tied them to another strand of ribbon that I hung under my curtains, and then added some bows. I love it!

Happy Christmas decorating!